The number of automobiles being operated is continuing to increase which has significantly increases the worldwide air pollution problem. This air pollution problem from automobiles has prompted many countries to regulate the exhaust emissions from automobiles. In fact, the exhaust emissions standards are constantly becoming stricter each year. For example, California regulators have recently passed a law requiring 2% of all vehicles sold in California to be "zero-emissions" or electric powered by 1998. Failure to meet the new emission standard would result in significant fines to automobile manufacturers selling automobiles in California. Accordingly, automobile manufacturers' ability to sell automobiles in California will be hurt if they do not produce an automobile with zero-emissions.
In view of these increasingly stricter emission requirements, automobile manufacturers are beginning to develop electric powered vehicles. Accordingly, it will be necessary to provide the owners of the electric vehicles with a safe and easy way of recharging their batteries. Moreover, electric vehicles have a limited range of travel before requiring their batteries to be recharged. Thus, recharging stations will be needed which are conveniently located and easy to operate in substantially the same manner in which gas stations are currently available for gas powered vehicles.
Currently, there are many methods of transferring power from a power source to a device, equipment vehicle, etc. The most common method is to use a pair of electrical connectors, i.e., a plug and receptacle. However, current electrical connectors do not provide a safety feature to prevent an electrical accident in the event of the electrical cable receiving a mechanical stress, such as if the vehicle is towed away from the recharging station, or struck by another vehicle, while the vehicle is still electrically coupled to the recharging station by the cable.
One example of an electric vehicle and a recharging station for recharging the batteries of electric vehicles is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,802 to Rose, II. The electric vehicle and the recharging station disclosed in the patent issued to Rose, II have many drawbacks. For instance, the contact surface of the vehicle is exposed to the environment which can cause the electrical contact surfaces of the vehicle to corrode. Also, the electrical contact surfaces of the vehicle and the recharging station are exposed to the driver such that the driver of the vehicle could accidentally touch one of the electric contacts and receive an electrical shock. Furthermore, this recharging station would require all electric vehicles to be manufactured within a certain range of sizes and shapes.
Examples of prior electrical cables utilizing a safety mechanism to prevent an electrical accident are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 554,263 to Guilleaume; 1,690,580 to Hedley et al, 1,947,503 to Shunk; 2,478,147 to Wilson; and 4,011,483 to Meadows.
In view of the above, it is apparent that there exists a need for an electrical cable and connector assembly for electrical equipment or systems such as electric vehicles and electrical recharging stations which will overcome the above problems of the prior art, and which are safe and convenient to operate. This invention addresses this need in the art along with other needs which will become apparent to those skilled in the art once given this disclosure.